industry show that in 1914 there were 1977 enterprises in this industry, employing 346,989 persons, as against 1897 enterprises, employing 327,822 persons in 1913. Thus, the number of enterprises has increased by 4.1 per cent, while the number of employees shows an increase of 5.6 per cent.
The textile industry exhibited a condition of noticeable decline at the beginning of the War. But this lasted for only two or three months, after which the activity in the industry began to show a steady rise, until, towards the end of the year, the increase was already plainly evident in the larger number of persons employed, the elimination of many non-work days, the introduction of "overtime" and holiday work. This increase in the activity of the textile industry is due largely to the war orders of the government Supply Department, the Red Cross, and the Zemstvo and Municipal Unions.
The increase of activity affected mostly those enterprises which produced the poorer grades of goods. On the other hand, the production of the higher grades of goods shows a decided decline. The greatest increase is shown by the factories producing heavy cloth, enormous quantities of which are needed to provide uniforms for the immense Russian armies.
The report contains interesting, though brief discussions of such interesting topics as the growth of railroad construction in Russia, the activity of the Rural Credits Bank, the condition of the money market, the immediate problems of the coal and oil industries. Unfortunately, the treatment of the last two industries is very superficial, while the great importance of the industries would call for a very thorough study.
One great defect of the report is that it does not even attempt to present a more or less definite, concrete plan of the great economic reforms which are so imperatively demanded by the conditions brought about by recent events. The report contents itself with the following conclusion:
"It is, therefore, evident, that Russia, in her economic life, is face to face with new and difficult problems, a satisfactory solution of which will largely depend upon the outcome of the War, although the abundant supply of natural wealth within the country, and the tremendous productive possibilities of Russia's sober population are also important factors in the possible solution of these problems."
